Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1887-05-27
A STOLEN RIDE.

'Tve talked to you until I'm tired,
Cornelia AunH said Mrs. Boxwood.
Cornelia Ann thought that that might
very possibly be. MS. Boxwoc,i had
frequently talked to her until she Cor
neia Ann, as well as the old lady-was
tired also. And she knew likewise that
when MIS- Boxwood called her "Cornelia
Ann, }" instead Of COMFY" she was very
angry indeed.
Il didn't mean any harm, aunty," "
murmured Cornelia Ann, hanging down
her head.
"Mcanw echoed Mrs. Boxwood. "And
you girls dressing up a pumpkin-hcadcd
ghost to frightcn Deacon Hubbard, at the
end of the lane, and filing old Mrs
Higgins bonnet with burdook burrq.
and putting an old almanac inside Elder
Hopgood's sermon cover, so that av:..,..
he opened it to begin preachiu' he was
clean flambergasted out of his senses ="
'Well, but aunty," argued the cul-
prit, she said that Lulu and l were lost
wretches and would certainly be cast
into perdition. He hadn't any business
to say thatl Aud Mrs. Higgins told
you that Lulu and helpcl the boys to
lock out the schoo,ma'am, and it wasn't
true. We hadn't a thing to do with it,
It's bad enough to be blamed for the
mischief that we do, without any addi-
tional accusation" she added with a
pout. "And hope--ycs, do hope
that she had an awful time getting the
burrs out of her old tow-colorcd wig!
As for d aeon Hubbard, we all know
that he says that there isn't such
thing as ghosts; 50 why need he be
afraid Of pumpkin on the cud of a
pole, with white sheet wrapped around
it2 Aud Pm afraid, aunty, she added,
with a roguish sparkle in her eyes, 'Ghat
he's coming here to carry you off And,
for all you scold at Us 50 much, Lulu and
l don't want to lose you'll
LA, chll," said Mrs. Boxwood,
highly fattered. II ncv,r thought O
such thing I amt going to change
my widowed condition at my time o
life, not for all the deacons goil.l But
am surprised, C5nny-'
At this stage Of affairs, however,
Mrs Boxwood was called away, and
Conny m de her rejoicing escape
Conny WAS no brand from tic Jun
ing, no doubIc.dycd assassin, but simply
Wild romp, oveih)wint with health and
spirits, who ney,r paused to consider
whether or no She was going too far in
her mad cscapadcs or not.
Some Of tie ncighbors called her
handsome
"shc has checks Ike an apple-blos-
som, said Mrs. Phillips, "and l never
did see such eyes Tacy'ro the loyiest
blue, and they sparkle like diamonds
when she gets to talking"
And others pronounced her as plain
as pilc-stafT, SO that Coany really did
not quite know what to think Of herself.
Squire Dana, an old friend of her
father laughed himself red in the face
when he heard Of her wild fro!ics.
Let her alone" said he--'le her
alone. She'll come cut all right. IL.
the the most valuable flles that gallon
the hardest in pasture when they're
young.
And Elder IIopgood declared, with q
melancholy groan, that Corncla Ann
Boxwood was certainly on the high road
to destruction if ever girl was
On this particular day Conny went
out with a sigh Of relief
The level, crimson sun seemed to rest
a moment on the top of the western
woods before Disappearing.
"lPs very hard to be scolded all the
time" said she to herself. 81 will have
little walk to rest myself from Aunt
Boxwood's household cares and labors,
and the stocking-darning must wait until
tomorrow
So Conny ran Srough the fragrant
woods, listening for the merry ripple Of
the brook, and whistIing back Will
shrill sweetness to the goodnight chirp'
Of robin, thrush and red winged black
blvd in the lrce-tops, until she came to ;
solitary farmhouse on the edge OF tn,
lake.
It was past sunset now. The young